Potable Water Intake Protection
Drinking water production
Intake protection monitors may be used to protect water production sites from unacceptable water quality or pollution events.
Water is either abstracted from a borehole or alternatively from a surface water environment (lake or river) and treated to meet stringent quality standards. Depending upon the typical water quality and the perceived risks, continuous measurement can be implemented to proactively manage abstraction and protect against ingress of pollution.
Typically, borehole water is of superior quality when compared to water abstracted from a river or a lake but each and every water source needs to be individually considered. Whilst in some instances just one or two measurement parameters may suffice, in other circumstances a more complex water quality measurement system may be needed. Parameter and instrument selection is very dependent upon the source water quality.
Borehole water quality measurement
Depending upon the local geology, location and the presence of fissured rock, borehole water quality may be adversely affected though ingress of pollutants into the aquifer. Typically, just continuous turbidity measurement is used to indicate physical water quality but additional parameter may also be incorporated. The location of the borehole and proximity to landfill sites may impact water quality. Petrochemical contamination from products such as diesel, kerosene and heating oils may also need consideration and require detection of organic or PAH contamination. Saline ingress in coastal locations may also be problematic and require conductivity measurement.
Surface water quality measurement
The intake protection system used to monitor surface water abstraction typically integrates several instruments providing continuous measurement of key water quality parameters. The instrument selection is very dependent upon perceived risk and may require pre-mounting onto an instrument back-panel or within a GRP kiosk (where an existing building is not available on site). Sample acquisition, sample preparation and automatic cleaning may also need to be integrated.
Key water quality parameters
- Turbidity
- pHConductivity & Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
- Ammonia
- Nitrate
- UVT / TOC
- Colour
- Oil on Water
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